Adam stepped out into the cold and lit his cigarette. Patting his pockets, he realized he'd left his gloves in the car and his hat at home. Shivering, he vowed to give up this annoying addiction soon. Nothing like a twenty degree Fahrenheit evening to make one rethink a nasty habit. He’d tried to have his smoke indoors, in the warmth, but when he’d flicked his lighter at the bar, the owner had given him a nasty look. Of course, Charlie had given everyone a nasty look that night. Adam didn’t blame him. Who wanted to be working on Christmas Eve? The only people in the establishment were losers like him, alone on a holiday, with no better place to spend their evening than the corner pub. He could have gone to visit his parents, but they were in the middle of a nasty divorce, and all family members were taking sides. It didn’t sound like much decking of the halls or jolliness was going on there, last time he’d phoned his mother. His love life was non-existent at the moment, and his friends were all off with their own families. One or two had invited him to come home with them and though Adam had appreciated the gesture, the thought of being amidst strangers this season was not appealing. Thinking about his last romantic relationship, Adam’s heart constricted. As a man born with magical abilities, his life was different than ordinary humans. He’d talked to enough older magicians and heard so many sad tales of love gone wrong, he should have known better than to start an affair in the first place. Don’t fall in love with non-magical women, they said. It wasn’t worth it. Common humans didn’t understand their lifestyle and trouble was bound to occur when the two groups tried to intermingle. They coexisted on Earth because magic folks laid low. He would be endangering himself and others when the romance went bad, and it would go bad, the old men had insisted. Adam had tried hard not to let any woman get close, but Jessica had slipped into his heart like a piece in a puzzle. He’d met her in a math class and was initially attracted by her beauty. She had a head of brown curls that seemed to have a life of their own, well-behaved one day, wild and unruly the next. She was smart as a whip and had a quirky sense of humour that kept him on his toes. He was handsome enough, or so he’d been told by several women and didn’t lack the confidence to go after her. He’d intended to merely have a bit of fun, like he did with all his liaisons, but his heart had other ideas. He was soon madly in love. He was certain she would understand when he told her about his special talents. Surely a woman of her extraordinary intelligence would realize that many more beings existed in the world than met the eye. Wasn't magic much the same as the physics they studied? After dating several months, he’d arranged a camping trip for just the two of them in a pristine wilderness spot. They’d spent the day hiking, then washed in a nearby river and were sitting at their campsite under the stars, the gentle glow of a lantern casting dancing shadows. She was nibbling on corn chips, waiting for him to start the fire so they could cook dinner. Gazing at her face, slightly red and freckled from their time in the sun, he’d been nervous but joyful. How wonderful it would be to share this other important part of his life with her! She hadn’t understood at all. At first, she’d insisted he was teasing her. He’d given her a demonstration, levitating her slightly then putting her gently back on the ground. Then he’d thrown a spark or two, setting a fire in the pit he’d prepared. Small bits of magic he was sure she would enjoy. She’d looked at him in horror, then demanded he take her home immediately. They’d packed up the tent in strained silence and as soon as they reached her house, Adam had performed a gentle mind wipe of their evening. Jessica had called him the next day, her memory fuzzy. He’d told her they’d decided to postpone the camping trip since it looked like rain and had hit the bars instead. She’d had a few too many Mai Tais and passed out. He’d broken up with her on their next date and cried on the inside while she’d tearfully yelled and thrown plates at him. After that, he vowed not to let another woman into his heart. There were plenty of them available who had the same mindset as him, free spirits not yet ready to settle down, so no one was hurt when it was time to move on. That lifestyle worked fine, except on the holidays. Commercials on television taunted him, showing cosy scenes of happy men, women and children, having the perfect Christmas. Here he was, alone, freezing his ass off in a back alley that smelled like urine and hoping the bar stayed open long enough for him to get sufficiently drunk not to care. Movement a few feet away caught his eye. He peered closer. Was that the toe of a boot sticking out from behind a trash dumpster? He doused the cigarette, shoved the lighter in his pocket then walked closer. “Hello?” he called. The toe scooted back. “Come out, I see you.” A figure stepped out and Adam’s jaw dropped. It was a woman, dressed in high-heeled black boots, a red velvet skirt with white trim, and a matching halter top. Her barely-there outfit revealed slim legs, just the right amount of curve to her hips, and delightfully perky breasts. Bright auburn hair tumbled from beneath a Santa cap “Go away, leave me alone,” she said, her voice low and urgent. She craned her neck to look behind him. “What are you...” he began, then dropped to one knee as a shot rang out. He whirled around and saw a man approach, carrying a gun. “Stay back,” Adam yelled. “You stay back, mister,” the man said, with a heavy accent, something Adam couldn’t place. Russian, maybe? “We just want her, we don’t want no trouble with you.” Adam looked around and considered his options. This was the kind of neighbourhood where folks kept to themselves. A gunshot might prompt someone to call the police, but not to rush to the rescue. The cops would come, but it would be too late. Though he didn’t like to use his magic in public, he saw no choice. With a murmur and a flick of his hand, the dumpster flew away from the building and crashed into the man. He walked quickly to the woman. “Come on,” he said, pulling off his jacket and wrapping it around her shoulders, before taking her hand. “Let’s get out of here.” “Stop!” She tugged against him. “I need to talk to that man.” She pulled away and ran to the fallen figure. Adam hurried after her. “What are you doing? He’s got a gun.” She knelt and put her hand on the man’s forehead, then sighed. “He has a serious brain injury. He won’t regain consciousness. Damn, it took me days to get him to follow me out into the open. Now he’s useless.” She stood up, then snapped her fingers. Sparks flashed, and the body on the ground burst into flame. “Holy shit!” Adam stepped back. “Who, what are you?” “I’m Fiona, a fire sprite.” She turned to Adam. “Don’t worry, I’m a good guy, he was a very bad guy.” “I’m...” he began. “In my way,” she said, shrugging out of his jacket and dropping it to the ground. She pivoted on her high heels and began to walk across the parking lot. “Hey,” he called after her. “I was just trying to help.” She stopped and turned around, cocked her head as though studying him, then walked back to Adam. “Thank you. I appreciate your effort.” She put her hand on his arm, and her golden eyes opened wider. A warm current of energy passed between them, and he felt a delicious heat travel through his body. The spot where her hand rested grew hot. She ran her fingers along his arm up to his cheek, trailing warmth. Her scent, earthy and clean, instantly evoked a vision of lying naked on a soft rug in front of a crackling fire, in a house surrounded by giant fir trees. Candles flickered, and two glass tumblers sat empty on a table. Soft music played in the background, and he could hear someone moving around in another room. He smelt the scent of wood smoke mingled with sweeter undertones, like vanilla and clove. The sounds and smells were vivid and he could taste the smoky liquor. The picture in Adam’s mind was crystal-clear, but he had never been to that place. “You’re not just an ordinary magician, are you? You've got a bit of extra power hidden away. What are you doing all by yourself in an alley on Christmas Eve? This is an odd place to hang out.” Fiona continued to touch him, and his temperature rose. In the distance, bells began to ring. “It’s Christmas Day now, and I could ask you the same thing. I’m having a cigarette, and I’m not the one dressed in a skimpy costume, or being chased by thugs. I’d say your situation is rather odd also.” A light snow started to fall, and Adam observed the flakes melted as they came within a few inches of Fiona. “Come on, I’ll buy you a drink, to say thank you. I might need your coat again, so I don’t start a riot in the bar.” Adam gave her his jacket, and put his hand at the small of her back as they walked to the building. Heat rolled off her body, like the flame from a bonfire. How did she stay so warm? As though reading his mind, Fiona grinned. “Fire sprites are always hot.” He tugged on the back door of the building. “It’s locked. Charlie must have decided to close up and go home early. I guess gunfire doesn’t sit well with him.” “I’ve got a bottle of Scotch and a big fireplace at my house. You look like you could use something to take the chill away.” She touched Adam again, and he imagined lying on top of her, wrapped in her arms, heated by that warmth. Was she as hot inside as out? She smiled at him, her eyes flickering with interest. He could swear he saw flames dance in them. She laughed, the sound of tinkling glass. Glad for the cover of semi-darkness, Adam blushed. If she could read his mind, they were in for a wild ride tonight. “I love Scotch, and yes, I would like to warm up. I’ve been frozen for a month,” he said. “Then come home with me and we’ll celebrate Christmas properly.” She linked her arm in his, pulling him next to her heat. Once again, a picture formed in his mind. Fiona was walking into the living room, her lips curved into a sensual smile. She knelt on the soft rug and ran her hand along his thigh. She was not quite naked, but the sheer black robe she wore might as well not have been there. The light from the fire illuminated her features, bringing out the red in her hair and highlighting the dusky rose peaks of her breasts, clearly visible through the thin fabric. Now the scent that reached him was a strong musk, the smell of her desire. She traced one finger up his leg to his abdomen and drew slow, sensual circles on his stomach. His cock swelled and jumped and his hands gripped the rug. He reached out to touch her and was brought back to the present by a nudge from her. "Are you all right? You look like you're a million miles away." Adam fought an overwhelming urge to tear off that skirt and halter top and take her right there in the snowy parking lot. He took a deep, shuddering breath and forced himself to speak in a normal tone. “Does your place have lots of evergreens around the house?” he asked. “It does. Why?” Adam smiled. A warm glow that had nothing to do with Fiona's body heat spread through his heart. The thought of being able to share his magic, his passion, with this lovely creature was almost too delightful to imagine. This Christmas might be very merry, after all. Enjoy more stories featuring Adam in my Adventure of Star Lite series. Available at Totally Bound and other retailers.Totally BoundAmazonBarnes and NobleAll RomanceKobo